I never considered myself the football game type, much less one surrounded by the fiercely orange-clad Illini fans of Champaign. But when in Rome—or rather, when in Illinois—one must occasionally throw oneself into the local customs, however bewildering they may be.
This is the story of my Monday at Memorial Stadium, a venture into the heart of American sports culture and, inadvertently, a social experiment testing my tolerance for public displays of collegiate enthusiasm.
Orange, Lots & Lots Of It
If anyone’s curious, I went to the match on the 11th of September when Illinois played against Indiana.
First off, Orange. Orange what? I hear you asking. Just orange. My eyeballs were greeted with the sight of hundreds of roudy football fans cursing at God knows what dressed in orange clothes. That’s because here Illini football team’s signiture colour is in fact orange. This was the kind of extreme rough-house team spirit that I hated at the start, but I must admit that the passionate chanting grew on me by the end of the match.
The first devision of Illini has ‘Lou the Flying Illini‘ as a mascot and he’s kinda funny looking and agitatingly orange, of course. As with most mascots, he was there to cheer his team on and bust some hillarious moves amongst the crowd. In all honesty If Lou wasn’t there I think the match wouldn’t have been quite as entertaining.
The Game
The game itself? It was a spectacle of strategy and athleticism, punctuated by the relentless enthusiasm of fans who seemed to ride every high and low as if they were on the field themselves (I think? I’m no expert.)
BUT I can appreciate the beauty of a well-executed play, the balletic grace of a wide receiver in flight, and the thunderous clash of linemen battling at the line of scrimmage. These moments were, admittedly, quite captivating. If only they weren’t so frequently interrupted by the cacophony of shouts, horns, and the ceaseless, jarring blasts of fight songs.
At halftime, the famous Marching Illini took the field. Here, finally, was something I could enjoy without reservation. The precision and flair of the band was a welcome palate cleanser from the unruly feast of the first half.
Their music filled the stadium with a spirit that was infectious but, crucially, not invasive. I felt like I was at the budget Superbowl just with less real celebrities and a much happier wallet…
As the game drew to a close—with the Illini securing a victory of 48-45 that seemed to both relieve and invigorate the orange sea—I reflected on my first foray into the tribal rites of football fandom. It was clear that I was an outsider here, an anthropologist observing a culture not my own.
The game, with all its pageantry, strategy, and sudden bursts of athleticism, had its charm. The atmosphere, charged with spirit and community, was genuinely uplifting at its best moments.
Honestly though, the relentless intensity of the fans, the overwhelming noise, and the omnipresent color orange (which I suspect might be permanently seared into my retinas) were elements I could have done without.
As I shuffled out of the stadium, surrounded by chants of “I-L-L, I-N-I,” I concluded that while the experience was worth the trek, it might be a while before I voluntarily subject myself to another test of endurance.
Will I return? Perhaps, if only to see if my tolerance for rowdiness can be built up over time. Or maybe I’ll just stick to the quieter, less orange-infested cultural events that Champaign has to offer. For now, though, I’ve had my fill of football—and I think I’ll be seeing orange in my nightmares👍✨
